‘Hee Haw’ reruns to air on RFD-TV

‘Hee Haw’ reruns to air on RFD-TV

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Reruns of the old cornpone comedy-variety show “Hee Haw” are coming back. The one-hour programs will air at 8 p.m. each Sunday beginning Sept. 7 on cable’s RFD-TV, which bills itself as “rural America’s most important network.”

“‘Hee Haw’ and RFD-TV is a match made in heaven,” Patrick Gottsch, the channel’s founder and president, said in announcing the deal.

“Hee Haw” was on the air somewhere for 28 years — first on CBS for two years starting in 1969, then in first-run syndication for two decades. Reruns aired on the old Nashville Network cable station from 1994 to 1997 and briefly on CMT in 2006.

Country performers Roy Clark and Buck Owens were co-hosts, Clark for the entire run and Owens for 17 seasons.

The show, which got its name from the sound of a donkey braying, originated as a country version of “Rowan Martin’s Laugh-In.”

RFD, based in Omaha, Neb., with production facilities in Nashville, has been on the air since December 2000 and is available in 35 million homes. Its programming includes livestock auctions, tractor pulls, rodeo events, cooking shows and variety programs. It also simulcasts “Imus in the Morning” featuring radio personality Don Imus.

Kid Rock will perform at Video Music Awards

NEW YORK — Kid Rock is returning to the Video Music Awards for another hit performance — and this time it doesn’t involve a fistfight with Tommy Lee.

The boisterous rocker is slated to perform “All Summer Long” off his platinum-selling CD “Rock ’N Roll Jesus.” Though it was released nearly a year ago, it has surged on the charts and is currently one of the top five selling CDs.

Last year, Kid Rock wasn’t a performer, but he was involved in one of the ceremony’s most talked about moments when scuffled with Tommy Lee while they were sitting in the audience. Both were at one time married to Pamela Anderson, who was also in attendance.

The fight was not shown on camera, but provided fodder for jokes from the likes of Diddy and Jamie Foxx.

Rock is the third act confirmed for the VMA’s, to be held Sept. 7 in Los Angeles. Other performers are Lil Wayne and Jonas Brothers, though there is a possibility that Britney Spears — who’s bleary kickoff performance at last year’s VMA’s became one of 2007’s most talked about moments — may join them.

MTV told The Associated Press earlier this week they are in negotiations to have the star there in some capacity, and she’s already taped two promotional ads for the show with host Russell Brand.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Robert DeNiro is 65. Singer Kevin Rowland of Dexy’s Midnight Runners is 55. Singer Belinda Carlisle is 50. Actor Sean Penn is 48. Guitarist Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) is 46. Singer Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block is 39. Actor Bryton McClure (“Family Matters”) is 22.